Kenneth stuaet austin



(No Model.)

' K. S. AUSTIN.

GAR AXLE B0X.

No. 336,831. Patented Feb. Z3, 1886.

N. PETERS. Pl'mtla-LilhngmpherV Washington. DV C.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIC@ KENNETH STUART AUSTIN, OF HAVELOCK COTTAGE,WASHVOOD HEATH ROAD, COUNTY OF WARWICK, ENGLAND.

CAR-AXLE BOX.

UIEECEFCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,831, dated February23, 1886.

Application filed October 5, 1885. Serial No. 179,055. (No modelPatented in England June 10, 1879. No. 2,299.

To all whom, it nui/,y concern,.-

Be it known that I, KENNETH STUART AUSTIN, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Britain, residing at Havelock Cottage, Washwood Heath Road,Saltley, in the county of Varwick, England, haveinvented certain new anduseful Improvements in Railway Axle-Boxes, (for which I have receivedLetters Patent in Great Britain, No. 2,299, dated June 10,

1879,) of which the following is a specification.

In order to close the axle-box on the inner side to exclude dust and toprevent the escape of oil, I employ an improved shield.

It consists of thin plates, preferably three in number, of carbonizedfiber, ebonite, hard Wood, or other suitable material. They lie the oneagainst the other, and headed studs or rivets passing through connectthe plates 2o together. The rivets are fast in the outer plates, buttraverse slots in the intermediate plate, which is thus free to slidefor a short distance between the two outer plates. Each plate has a holethrough it for the axle to pass, and the axle is caused t-o be gentlynipped at the top and bottom between the center plate and the outerplates,a spring or springs of steel wire attached to the center platenear its lower end pressing upon the lower edges of 3o the cuter plates,and so giving to the center plate a tendency to descend and to the outerplates a tendency to rise. Thus 'the shield is made to close upon theaxle, and so it adapts itself in case of wear. Theshield is itself heldin grooves at the end ofthe box, in which it is free to play and adjustitself in position without interfering with the self-adjustment of theplates by means of their guideWay-connection with each other and theaction of the 4o spring or springs. Shields may in like manner be formedwith two plates, the one sliding on the other 5 but three-plate shieldsare to be preferred.

Having thus stated the nature of my invention, I will proceed todescribe more fully the manner of performing the same.

Figure I of the drawings hereunto annexed shows a plan, and Fig. l alongitudinal section, of a railway axle box. The portion 5o shown inFig. l is at the inner end of the box,

where the shield is applied in a groove or recess provided for thepurpose. Fig. 2 is an elevation, andFig. 3 is a transverse verticalsection, of a three-plate dust-shield. Figs. 4 and 5 are similar viewsof another three-plate 55 shield. Figs. 6 and 7 show a two-plate shield,and Figs. 8 and 9 also show a two-plate shield differing slightly fromthe preceding.

In Figs. l and l, A A is the axlebox. B isl the axle, and C is therecess to receive the 6o dust-shield. The width of the recesscorresponds to the thickness of the shield, which fits the recess, butnot so tightly as to interfere with its moving freely therein, followingthe play of the axle.

In Figs. Zand 3, D D are the outer plates of the shield, and E is thethird plate between them. In each plate there is a hole for the passageof the axle B. F F are studs or rivets connecting the plates D D,andpassing also 7c through elongated slots in the plate E. G G are twometal springs. They are attached at the center by a rivet to the centralplate, E, ofy the shield, and at their ends they press upon the underside of the plates D'D. Thus they 75 cause the central plate, E, to bearupon the upper side of the axle, and the outer plates, D D, to bear onits under side, the stud-andslot guideway-connection between the platesallowing of all requisite sliding movement.

The shield shown by the Figs. 4 and 5 differs from the preceding only inthat the rivets F F are differently placed, and that a single spring, G,replaces the pair of springs. The spring is arranged in an apertureprovided for it in the lower part of the plate E, and lugs on the springclip the plate on the under side of the aperture.

Figs. 6 and 7 showa two-plate dust-shield. This shield resembles thatshown by the Figs. 9o 2 and 3, but is without one of the side plates,

D, and there is but one spring, G. The studs F F also are ina differentposition.

Figs. 8' and 9 show a two-plate dust-shield, similarto Figs. 4. and 5,but without one of the side plates, and with the studs F differentlylplaced.

1. The combination of t-he connected outer plates, perforated to embracethe axle, the Ico central plate perforated to embrace the axle andhaving guideWay-connection with the outer plates, and the spring orsprings acting upon the plates to press them to the axle, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

2. A dustshield for railway axle-boxes, consisting of the combination ofthe plates perforated to embrace the axle, the studand slotguide-connection between the plates, and

the spring or springs acting upon the plates :o aud pressing them to theaxle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

KENNETH STUART AUSTIN. Witnesses:

ALEXANDER RITsoN VILsoN,

145 Neechels Park Road, Clerk. JAMES OsWALD LADDs,

8 Alum Rock Road.

